With the amount of money being made by players and front offices, it would be in the League’s best interest to avoid a lockout after this season. The NBA and the NBA Players’ Association have been in talks to get a deal done as soon as possible and will reportedly meet this week to further negotiations.

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday in New York — one day before the league’s annual Board of Governors session — as they inch closer to striking a new labor agreement, according to league sources.

The meeting is the latest signal, sources told ESPN.com, that a new deal to avoid a work stoppage is looming in the near future.

Sources say there is rising optimism on both sides of the bargaining table that the basic framework of a deal can be achieved as early as this month.

LeBron James and the NBPA want to ensure that retired players receive more financial and medical support.

James, the vice president of the union’s executive committee, is “very optimistic” about a new collective bargaining agreement being inked shortly and wants aid for former NBA players to be a priority.

The next labor deal will reportedly include new League-funded programs to help those who no longer hoop.

Per the AP:

In exchange for those programs, and pending full approval from both sides, the split of basketball-related income would remain the same “50-50” deal as it is in the current agreement. […] Deciding on how to divvy up the revenue pie was the biggest obstacle that led to the ugly lockout five years ago. But with that issue essentially taken care of this time around, negotiations have gone much smoother as both sides look to reach an agreement on a new deal before the Dec. 15 deadline to opt out.

For James, NBPA President Chris Paul and the rest of the union, taking care of those who are no longer playing is a worthy compromise for trying to recoup any of the financial ground lost during the 2011 labor dispute.

“We got a group of guys that are in there that know the negotiations, so any way to give back and try to help our former teammates and help former players and things of that nature,” James said. “Because we’ve all built this league together. No matter how big of a guy you were or if you were the 15th guy on the bench, we all built this league into what it is today. But it’s not just my idea. I’m not taking any credit for that. But it’s all part of the process.”

LeBron James seemed to confirm a Vertical report from Thursday that the NBA and the players’ association could reach a new labor agreement within the next several weeks.

“I think the best thing about it, we started the conversation a long time ago,” James said Monday. “We’re very optimistic on both sides, from the players’ association to the owners, to (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver that we can get something done, and I think we can get something done.

“And I think it all started because we started the conversations early, ways we could better our league.”

The Vertical provides more detail on the potential components of a new deal:

Among expected changes in the new CBA, league sources told The Vertical: A significantly higher rookie contract scale and two-way contracts between the NBA and NBA Development League that will add playing jobs for the union.

The NBA and NBPA each have until Dec. 15 to exercise an opt-out clause of the current 10-year deal that was reached in 2011, but sources on both sides believe that a new deal will be in place prior to that date.

During several months of discussions, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts, as well as their respective committees and staffs, have agreed upon many of the significant collective bargaining issues, league sources said. Much of the remaining talks are centered upon smaller elements of the CBA, league sources said.

From the outset of the talks, there has been a spirit of cooperation between Silver and Roberts, largely reflective of strong economic times in the NBA. […] Among expected changes in the new CBA, league sources said: A significantly higher rookie contract scale and two-way contracts between the NBA and NBA Development League that will add playing jobs for the union.

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced Wednesday that its members have voted to foot the health insurance bill for all retired players who were in the League for at least three years.

“The game has never before been more popular, and all the players in our league today recognize that we’re only in this position because of the hard work and dedication of the men who came before us,” said Chris Paul, NBPA President and nine-time All-Star. “It’s important that we take care of our entire extended NBA family, and I’m proud of my fellow players for taking this unprecedented step to ensure the health and well-being of our predecessors.”

The unanimous vote—which took place during the NBPA Summer Meeting in New York on June 26—established a multi-faceted health insurance program through UnitedHealthcare, the country’s leading health benefits provider.

The average NBA player’s career in the league lasts just over four years, emphasizing the need for long-term planning for all aspects of life, including health. Since becoming Executive Director of the NBPA nearly two years ago, Michele Roberts and her new executive team have instituted a cardiac screening program for retired players and other initiatives designed to prepare current players for life after basketball and provide opportunities for retired players. […] “I couldn’t be more proud of Chris, our Executive Committee and our entire membership,” said Roberts. “Providing health care security for players who came before them has been on the players’ minds for the past year and they worked closely with us to make it happen. We’re also thrilled to partner with UnitedHealthcare on this initiative. We had many choices, but none matched UnitedHealthcare’s flexibility, experience, clinical expertise, and robust tools and technologies.”

Michele Roberts, the first woman to serve as the National Basketball Players Association Executive Director, said in an interview recently the NBA needs to see more African American majority owners and

Once the sale is completed next year, the organization will relocate to a 47,000-square-foot facility in midtown Manhattan that includes a practice court, locker room, lounge and training facility, the union said. The facility will also be used to host player programs and agent seminars.

The union bought the Harlem building at 310 Lenox around 2007, at which time its value was listed as $3.4 million in a filing with the U.S. Department of Labor. The union’s 2014 labor filing, or LM-2, said the building was worth $19.7 million.

The union’s new headquarters, which Executive Director Michele Roberts has called a “Players Campus,” will be located at 1133 Avenue of the Americas, between 43rd and 44th Streets and near Bryant Park. […] Roberts, a trial lawyer, in 2014 became the first female leader of a major U.S. sports union. She replaced Billy Hunter, a former National Football League player and U.S. attorney who was fired in 2013 following an independent review of union business practices.

National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts responded Thursday to League commissioner Adam Silver’s assertion that a “significant number of teams” are losing money. Roberts, though careful to avoid

The union says they’d be more than happy to pore over League financials before the next lockout labor talks begin.

Per ESPN:

“We agreed not to debate the finer points of negotiation in public and aren’t going to change that approach now, in response to some remarks by [commissioner Adam Silver] on Tuesday,” Roberts said. “We are, however, going to take him up on his offer to share the audited financials with the union.”

The collective bargaining agreement between owners and the union stipulates that players receive a fixed percentage of the NBA’s overall revenue. The precise number was a battleground in the last negotiation between owners and players. If the aggregate salaries committed to players fall short of that amount — as they currently do — the owners make up the difference. Silver said the league, despite being flush with revenue, is bracing for such a result. […] “There are projections that for next year we could be writing a check moving close to half a billion dollars to the players’ association,” Silver said. “That’s not of course the ideal outcome from our standpoint. It’s not something we predicted when we went into this collective bargaining agreement.”

Roberts emphasized the union’s belief that calculations of basketball-related income, or BRI, which determines the parameters of the NBA’s salary cap, often omit proceeds generated from NBA facilities. […] “New and renovated arenas around the league have proven to be revenue drivers, profit centers and franchise-valuation boosters,” Roberts said. “That has been the case over the past few years in Orlando, Brooklyn and New York, to name a few. In some instances, owners receive arena revenues that are not included in BRI.”

The union wants to take a closer look at the Sixers’ maneuvering around the collective bargaining agreement:

The NBPA told agents in a meeting on Monday that it will actively look into the 76ers’ handling of the CBA, such as salary distributions, the cap floor and contract format loopholes. For the NBPA, Philadelphia’s approach over the past several seasons may not be a technical violation of collective bargaining as much as it is one of the spirit of negotiating under the CBA.

An NBPA spokesperson confirmed Tuesday the union’s plan to pursue the 76ers’ issue if there is a violation found.

Over the past two seasons, the 76ers have compiled a 37-127 record, staying below the 90 percent salary floor for majority of the campaigns before late season signings or trades.

Earlier this year, the NBA Players’ Association announced that it would be handing out its own awards this summer, to be voted on by the active players in the League. It’s an idea mean to give a voice back to the players, who don’t get to vote on official NBA-sanctioned awards like MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc.

Called the “Basketball Player Awards,” the NBPA’s event will take place next month in Las Vegas—the idea being that this event would be like the Grammys or the Emmys. And today it was announced that the brand new event will be televised on BET Networks.

BET Networks is partnering with the National Basketball Players Association to air the 1st Annual Basketball Player Awards, voted on by NBA’s active players.

The awards will tape in Las Vegas on July 10 to air exclusively on BET Networks. BET Productions and Prospect Park are producing. Awards will be presented in 10 categories, including Most Valuable Player, Best Rookie, Man of the Year, and Player You Secretly Wish Was On Your Team.

“BET has established itself as a best in class presenter of Awards shows and special events and we are thrilled that we’ll be working with the National Basketball Players Association to bring what will be a an incredible night of entertainment”, said Stephen G. Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks. “This will be a unique show and we are looking forward to being the only network to dedicate a night to recognizing and celebrating the league’s most exceptional and rising stars for their extraordinary abilities on the court”.

“We are delighted to have BET as our broadcasting partner for the first ever ‘Players’ Awards’ next month,” said NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts. “BET is best-in-class when it comes to award shows, and we are happy that they will be producing this event for the best players in the world”.

The awards come on the heels of the NBA Finals which saw the Golden State Warriors take the NBA crown over the Cleveland Cavaliers, and record ratings for ABC, with the Game 6 clincher the most-watched ever on the network since it began the airing the finals in 2003.

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) revealed the categories for this new batch of awards Monday afternoon, launching a new ear of peer review in the L.

The union cited The Emmy Awards, The Grammy Awards and The Academy Awards as guiding principles.

From the press release:

“We as players want the opportunity to recognize our peers,” said Carmelo Anthony. “We are making that happen with our own award show.”

Most Valuable PlayerBest RookieMan of the YearBest DefenderGlobal Impact PlayerHardest to GuardClutch PerformerCoach You Would Want to Play ForBest Home Court AdvantagePlayer You Secretly Wish Was on Your Team

“Our players have long wanted to recognize greatness from within their own ranks, and with the first-ever Basketball Players Awards we have created a vehicle for them to do so,” said NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts. “The level of participation from players in the voting process has been overwhelming so far and we are looking forward to unveiling all of the results this July in Las Vegas.”

“You’re going to have people making their own decision anyway,” Wall said. “I think the fans and the people watch, just like they do voting for us in the all-star games. It’s cool that way. Us making votes, you got people that’s going to say they’re MVP and they’re the best player in the league so it’s never going to be a fair race in my opinion.”

On Wednesday, four-time MVP LeBron James said he would vote for himself for MVP. Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said the same about himself.

“I think the media and the fans have their own opinion I think that’s the key part,” Wall said. “They’re watching it from the inside-out. Us as basketball players, we know who they are, who players are, but sometimes your pride and ego comes in and you don’t want to see that player get an award.”

NBA players will vote for their peers to determine who deserves the L’s top individual awards, as the union tries to wrestle control of the always-controversial issue away from the media.

Members of the press have determined the Most Valuable Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year and other awards since the 1980-81 season—the NBPA’s ceremony this summer will include a number of categories on and off the court, including a “Man of the Year” award.

“Been working on it for a while,” said Cavs forward James Jones, who serves as the team’s union rep. “Something players have been interested in doing for a long time. I think it probably would have been done a lot earlier but we’ve been in transition as far as a union staff and our front office. It’s something that’s pretty exciting for the players because it just gives the players a voice and an opportunity to interact and make their opinions known to the fans. It’s really about the fans.”

“It’s a conversation we can have at a later date,” LeBron James said of whether the players should replace the media in the voting process. “The media has done a great job every single year with picking after-season awards and in-season awards. But us players as well, we get to see the guys every single day. It’s a longer conversation.”

“Myself,” James said with a smile when asked about which player would get his vote for MVP. He then revealed players couldn’t vote for themselves in these new postseason awards. His teammates, however, can. […] “I will leave my voting to be seen by the tallies, but we have made it known how I feel and we feel about LeBron,” Jones said after admitting the Cavs have yet to fill out their ballots. “That’s for all the players because it’s not just about one category, it’s about different categories.”

Nearly three months after the Oklahoma City Thunder star voiced his opinion that NBA players should vote on the league’s regular season awards instead of the media, first-year National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts issued an internal memo announcing the “2015 Players Choice Awards.” […] The media has voted on NBA awards since the 1980-81 season.

“This program was created at your request to recognize outstanding performance of your peers, on and off the court,” Roberts wrote. “No one knows better than you what it takes to shine.” […] Durant has hardly been alone when it comes to being critical of the media landscape in the NBA, as Roberts questioned the pre-game locker-room access given to reporters in an interview with ESPN that was published less than two weeks after Durant’s comments. […] “I think (players) should have a portion of the vote,” (Stephen) Curry told (Dan) Patrick. “Obviously we’re the ones playing against each other. We know who’s having the best year, who’s doing things that really stand out. So I think that should be a part of the vote, for sure.”

Roberts indicated in the memo that MVP is among the awards that will be voted on, and there is a “Man of the Year” award as well that will honor a player’s efforts in the community.

“The National Basketball Players Association has informed the NBA that it will not agree to ‘smoothing’ in the increases in the Salary Cap that will result from the new national media agreements beginning in the 2016-17 season.

“Smoothing would have avoided a substantial Salary Cap spike in 2016-17. Under the league’s smoothing approach, the salary shortfall resulting from more gradual Cap increases would have been paid directly to the Players Association for distribution to all players, and thus the total compensation paid to players in any given season would not have been impacted.”

National Basketball Players Association general counsel Gary Kohlman said “quite likely the union will be taking a radically different position” than the NBA on the age issue, which will almost certainly be a contentious point between the sides when they sit down in the future.

“If they were white and hockey players they would be out there playing. If they were white and baseball players they would be out there playing,” Kohlman said. “Because most of them are actually African-American and are in a sport and precluded from doing it, they have to go into this absurd world of playing for one year. […] That’s just total complete hypocrisy.”

Kohlman used the example of how LeBron James was able to enter the NBA straight from high school, noting that he’s now a vice president in the union. “He gets it,” Kohlman said. […] Kohlman added that union head Michele Roberts “believes in capitalism,” and he essentially asked why talented young athletes and talented young entertainers aren’t both able to maximize their financial potential. […] “Capitalism means that if you’re 17, 18 years old and you’re a geek and you want to drop out of college and invent Apple or something else, you can do it,” Kohlman said. “In this country you can do that. And there’s nothing stopping you from doing it. If you’re an unbelievable blues singer at 17, 18, 19 years old, you can go out and make a fortune.”

Unanimously elected as first vice president of the NBA Players Association on Friday, James said that upcoming talks with the league over revenue sharing prompted him to take office. The players and owners can opt out of the collective bargaining agreement following the 2016-17 season, when they could decide how to best divide some of the money set to flow in from a $24 billion TV deal.

“It’s going to be a very important negotiation, and I think I’m a big part of the process,” James said Saturday following practice with the other Eastern Conference All-Stars at Madison Square Garden. “It’s good to be vice president of the players’ association, CP (Paul) is the president and (executive director) Michele (Roberts) is obviously the commander-in-chief, and we look forward to doing some good things.”

“It means a lot,” Paul said. “LeBron is the face of our league and his opinion matters.”

As the president of the union, have you taken notice of some of the banter in the past couple of weeks, particularly Kobe Bryant coming out really strong that players shouldn’t be blamed for taking max money when the owners are making more?

What about when fans expect players to take less money so that the team can have a better chance to win?

Paul: “Do they? […] I feel like there’s definitely a conversation to be had there, a lot of dialogue. But fans, at the end of the day, want to see players go out and play. And guys want to try to earn as much as they can in this short amount of time that we have to play our careers.”

“I heard from our players and all of our players felt like boycotting the games tonight,” National Basketball Players Association first vice president Roger Mason Jr. said. “We’re talking about all NBA players. We’re talking about the playoff games tonight.”

Mason said he spoke to player representatives from every team and they were on board with the decision to boycott Tuesday’s games if they weren’t satisfied with the commissioner’s decision. The decision would have affected Tuesday’s Game 5s between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, and the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I reached out to other players around the league and made it clear the players were ready to boycott the games if this type of action was not something that Adam Silver felt was necessary,” Mason said. “We’re happy with the decision but we’re not content yet. We want immediate action. We want a timetable from the owners as far as when this vote is going to happen.”

The Warriors were going to go through pre-game warm-ups and take part in the national anthem and starting line-up introductions. They were going to take the floor for the jump ball, dapping up the Clippers players as is customary before games.

Then once the ball was in the air, they were just going to walk off. All 15 of them.

“It would have been our only chance to make a statement in front of the biggest audience that we weren’t going to accept anything but the maximum punishment,” point guard Stephen Curry said. “We would deal with the consequences later but we were not going to play.”

The message was intentionally bold and controversial, Curry said. And if they had their way, the Clippers would have joined them in exiting the court.

The wheels were in motion until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s banishment of Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling appeased the players’ fury. And there were plans being hatched for all the games.

The Warriors’ players wanted to protest previously, but decided to give Silver a chance to do the right thing. But if Silver had announced the punishment for Sterling’s bigoted comments were an indefinite suspension and a measly fine, the Warriors were ready to make an historic statement.

Curry, David Lee, Jermaine O’Neal and Draymond Green were behind the boycott idea. The bold message the Warriors had plan was hatched at shootaround.

The idea included plans, if necessary, to reach out to the Clippers and share the plan. The hope would have been that the Clippers would join them, letting the jump ball drop to the hardwood while all the players walked off the court.

“The players wanted to ensure that Mr. Sterling does not attend any games for the Clippers or any other team for the duration of the playoffs,” Kevin Johnson, working on behalf of the NBPA, said. “We’re confident that the commissioner understood that this is an enormous distraction for everyone, and we want the focus to really be on the games and what’s taking place on the court, and he certainly understood that.”

Johnson said he wanted (Commissioner Adam Silver) to explain the range of sanctions that could be levied against Sterling if the accusations against him were true and then to see the maximum level of those sanctions used.

Johnson, who was asked to assist the players on this matter by NBPA president and Clippers guard Chris Paul, also said the players wanted the league and Silver to give them full accounting of the prior accusations of racism made against Sterling and why those were never sanctioned by the league.

In November 2009, Sterling agreed to pay a record $2.725 million to settle allegations that he discriminated against African-Americans, Hispanics and families with children at several apartment buildings he owns in and around Los Angeles.

“We also believe as the players’ association it’s our responsibility to find out the history of Mr. Sterling and why sanctions did not occur,” Johnson said. “You have a dual and mutual interest in trying to understand the past, in trying to understand somebody of this magnitude and the comments that have been made.”

Johnson said the players also wanted to be engaged and considered full partners in the league’s investigation and process for dealing with Sterling moving forward. He also said the players want Silver to carry out the process “swiftly and decisively and act unequivocally.”

“We believe this is a defining moment for the league,” Johnson said. “It’s defining moment for the commissioner and a defining moment for all the players in this league.”

Former NBA All-Star point guard and the current Mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson, will lead a search committee to select a new executive director for the NBA Players Association. The NBPA hasn’t been able to replace Billy Hunter since his inglorious ouster in February 2013. Per the AP:

The NBPA said Monday it expects to have one in place by the start of next season.

“Mayor Johnson is in a unique position as a former player and someone skilled in the politics of negotiations to lead this effort. We all witnessed his Herculean efforts to save his hometown Sacramento Kings from relocating, and I’m confident he’ll bring the same leadership to our search for a new executive director,” union president Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers said in a statement.

Johnson will work with Paul and acting executive director Ron Klempner to keep players and agents aware of the process.

Hunter was removed shortly after an independent review of the union was critical of a number of his business decisions and hiring practices. The search to replace him has dragged on, and executive committee members said after their meeting during February’s All-Star break that they had no timetable and no urgency to make a hire.

“I believe the NBPA can set the standard for player representation in all professional sports,” Johnson said. “I thank President Chris Paul and the entire executive committee for the opportunity. Over the next few weeks I will be meeting with all of the player representatives and moving aggressively to build on the work that’s been done.”

I serve with player representatives from every team and with an Executive Committee of players who spend countless hours worrying about everything from critical business operations and necessary benefits and assistance for our players to the overall image and reputation of the league. While more people follow the game of basketball than follow the business of basketball, without question the NBA is a serious business, and one that wouldn’t exist without the commitment of our players. Alongside our partners in this endeavor — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and team owners — my fellow players and I accept and welcome our responsibilities for growing the game and enhancing the fan experience now, and for long after we’ve retired.

Working with our Acting Executive Director Ron Klempner, we’ve spent the past year reviewing and reforming the core policy infrastructure of our union, creating an organization that is strong, strategic, transparent and absolutely accountable to our players. Most notably, over the past many months, the NBPA’s Executive Committee has been engaged in an extensive process and exhaustive search for a new Executive Director to lead the day-to-day operations of the union. For your average fan, this may not sound so important, but for our players, it’s a big deal. Our next NBPA Executive Director will help define and shape the decisions that will govern the direction of the NBA in the decades ahead.

As ball players, we know a lot about recruiting, so in an effort to conduct a thorough and professional search, we partnered with outside consultants to identify over 200 professionals from the worlds of sports, law, labor and business who might be qualified to lead our union. Our Executive Committee has devoted the time, resources and energy necessary to narrow down this quality pool of potential candidates. During our All-Star Weekend Winter Meeting, we devoted virtually all of our time together to discussing the process that we’ve engaged in, and the procedures for considering and voting on our next Executive Director. We also heard from our leading candidates for the position to date, and players attending were able to take their measure.

I’ve been encouraged by the passionate interest in the outcome of these deliberations — player agents, corporate sponsors, team owners, sports journalists and NBA fans. And while some of these interests have been critical or skeptical of the very deliberate steps we’ve been taking in this process, it’s a testament to the commitment and passion we all have to protect our players and ultimately the game we all love so much. But make no mistake, the decision about our next Executive Director will be made by NBA players, in a process that has been and will continue to be open, transparent, painstaking and professional.

One of our greatest challenges as an organized group of players is managing the logistics that require us to be constantly moving throughout the country. However, we’re in the last stages of implementing a plan that will allow every player to consider the candidates, discuss their merits with teammates and fellow union members and very soon, vote on new leadership for the NBPA. The process has taken time, but we know it has been time well spent.

The NBAPA’s search for an executive director is taking an eternity, and the mysterious process has understandably frustrated players and their agents. Jeff Schwartz – the president of Excel Sports Management, who’s NBA clientele includes Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Tyson Chandler and Kemba Walker – loudly questioned the union’s tactics. Per ESPN:

As a longtime and ardent supporter of the National Basketball Players Association, I am deeply troubled by the clandestine process to date in the search for the union’s next executive director.

This is a critical hire for the players, who have been impacted so negatively by the most recent collective bargaining agreement. Salaries are down leaguewide, contracts are shorter and include less guaranteed money than they once did, and free-agent movement has been curtailed significantly at a time that NBA franchises are reaching record valuations. Leadership from the union’s next executive director is essential to the ability of current and future generations of NBA players to restore many of the critical benefits that were lost in the last round of negotiations. But here we are again witnessing a search marked by the sort of troubling secrecy that has been synonymous with the NBPA for years.

One of the most frequent complaints voiced by players and agents against the previous regime was the union’s obsession with secretive practices and compartmentalization. The expectation moving forward was that the NBPA would start to insist on transparency in everyday business operations and in the search for its next leader. The NBPA, however, has unbelievably yielded again to opaque methods in choosing the next union leader. This approach can no longer be tolerated.

The only way to repair the damage that has already been done, in my view, is to bring an immediate stop to the current process and then start the executive-director search over from scratch with a much broader approach.

Transparency in NBPA matters is essential for the healthy functioning of the union and for restoring the confidence and trust of players, agents and the public. Aside from a short meeting at All-Star Weekend in New Orleans — which only a small percentage of players attended — information on the search process has been withheld from anyone beyond the union’s nine-player executive committee and a handful of NBPA staffers. No one else has been provided information about who was considered for the position, what qualifications were sought from the candidates, and how those qualifications were valued. Aside from the executive committee, furthermore, no one else has been afforded the opportunity to meet with and/or screen any of the purported candidates.

Despite the fact that it was widely reported in the media during All-Star Weekend that there are two finalists for the position, their identities have yet to be publicly disclosed. I’ve also spoken personally with a number of qualified candidates who either dropped out of the search due to the cumbersome process or say they were ruled out of the search without explanation. This is far too important a decision to be made via such an uneven process.

Incoming NBPA president Chris Paul reportedly has a war plan for next time the players’ union and the NBA sit across from each other at the negotiating table. This is according to TMZ, so take it with a large grain of salt: “Paul edged out veteran shooter Roger Mason and others to take the position — and NBA sources tell us the players went with CP3 because they feel he’s got the cojones and the clout to effectively take on the league. Sources tell us Paul is taking his new role very seriously — and is already talking to players about his agenda, which includes: Preparing a battle plan to fight any league proposal for HGH testing; eliminating flopping fines; forbidding any dress code additions/changes.”

Paul becomes the first superstar to hold the NBA players’ association president’s job since Patrick Ewing’s term ended in 2001. He vowed to build consensus among players while growing the game on multiple fronts. “I wouldn’t have taken this job on if it was going to be me doing it alone,” Paul said during a conference call. “The other guys on the executive committee are just as important as I am. There’s not one guy who’s bigger than the group.”

Paul’s election was a surprising development. Free-agent guard Roger Mason Jr., the only player to publicly announce his candidacy for the president’s job, was instead elected first vice president. Lakers guard Steve Blake and Charlotte Bobcats forward Anthony Tolliver were elected as vice presidents on the union’s executive committee, replacing Paul and Mason. Paul, 28, gives the union a charismatic and outspoken leader who has been active with the organization since his rookie season, when he was the players’ representative for the Hornets. He served as a vice president on the executive committee the last four years.

After carefully considering the job, and strongly voicing his opinion on union issues, LeBron James has reportedly decided not to run for president of hte NBA Players Association. Per USA Today: “Interested in union matters and the direction of the NBPA, James had considered both executive committee positions comprised of players but concluded he would not have enough time at this point in his career to give the positions the necessary attention they require. James called Heat teammate and NBPA secretary-treasurer James Jones on Monday and told him of his decision. James discussed the role with several people and realized he didn’t want to commit to something he couldn’t focus on 100%, especially at such a critical time for the union, which needs to name a new executive director to replace Billy Hunter as well as vote for a president. Last weekend at James’ charity event in Akron, Ohio, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the direction of the NBPA. […] Some in union leadership wanted James to become president or vice president and give the NBPA a significant voice with major star power. Short of becoming an officer the union, James told NBPA leadership that he wants to be a voice for change and when his voice is needed, he will participate. He also indicated he wants to be keep abreast of union matters through his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, just like many other players ask their agents to help them stay on top of union issues. The NBPA plans to meet in Las Vegas next week and vote for a new president, and it appears that Derek Fisher’s run as president – the past 18 months have been mired in controversy – will come to end. NBPA executive committee vice president Roger Mason Jr., has emerged as a strong candidate to replace Fisher, a person familiar the situation said.”

]]>http://www.slamonline.com/nba/lebron-james-wont-run-for-president-of-nbpa/feed/15LeBron James Says The NBPA is ‘Not In a Good Place Right Now’http://www.slamonline.com/nba/lebron-james-says-the-nbpa-is-not-in-a-good-place-right-now/
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Could LeBron James add “President of the National Basketball Players Association” to his ever-growing list of career exploits? He’s clearly been thinking about it, and now, via ESPN, we know why: “LeBron James said the National Basketball Players Association is ‘not in a good place right now’ and that’s why he’s considering running for the union’s vacant presidency. ‘I just think the union is going backwards, and it’s not in a good place right now,’ James said Saturday in an interview with ESPN after an event for his foundation at which he gave away hundreds of bicycles and tablet computers to underprivileged children in his hometown. ‘I think my voice could be huge in that situation.’ … If elected, James would be the most high-profile star to lead the union since Patrick Ewing held the role more than 15 years ago. But with so many demands on his time, James hasn’t decided whether he’ll officially run. The union’s summer meeting is later this month in Las Vegas. ‘I’m not sure I have the time to do it, but it’s something I’m going to think about with my team and go from there,’ James said. ‘But I think we all can agree there’s been a lot of transition in our union in the last couple of years. If it’s not me in that seat then I hope it’s someone who is comfortable with it and can do the job.'”

Following Kevin Durant’s pledge of $1 million for the massive tornado that hit Oklahoma City, the NBA and the players’ union are combining to donate $1 million as well for relief efforts through multiple charitable organizations. Per the AP: “The league and the NBPA announced the joint pledge on Tuesday. The money will be going to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other disaster relief efforts after a tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. The donation follows $1 million pledges from the Oklahoma City Thunder and star forward Kevin Durant. Durant says seeing the devastation in his adopted hometown was ‘tough to watch.’ But he also believes the community will band together to get through such a difficult time.”

By the time you read this, Billy Hunter will almost certainly have been fired as executive director of the NBA Players Association. [Yep!—Ed.] The 70-year-old Hunter, who has led the NBPA for 15 years, is under federal investigation and was roundly shredded by a 469-page independent audit that accused him of nepotism, a $1.3 million payment for unused vacation time and extravagant gifts for players on the executive committee. Players like Kobe Bryant are calling the union “a mess,” saying, “I think it might help some of the other guys see the light.” Stars like Paul Pierce are calling for his ouster. The pile-on has begun. The super agents, who have long attempted to wrest control from Hunter, have also come out of the shadows to argue for his termination. David Falk called Hunter “indefensible.” Arn Tellem, whose agency represents 12 percent of the League’s players, wrote an open letter in which he said, “NBA players deserve better representation from the union they fund. I implore you and your fellow players to take control of your union and your future. It’s time for Mr. Hunter to go.”

Forget for a moment the high profile, big names and flashy sums. There is something disturbing that lurks beneath the sinking of Billy Hunter: the absence of union democracy. This audit rests on a foundation of anonymous testimony. Not a single statement was allowed to be reviewed by Billy Hunter or his attorney before it was added to the file and went public, and of course no one was allowed to be cross-examined. Yet it’s been taken by the media and many players as holy writ. The most publicized charge is that of nepotism. It’s worth noting that Hunter let go his family members employed by the NBPA and has since enacted rules against the hiring of family members. It’s also worth noting, however, that if this rule existed throughout sports, there are more than a few assistant coaches, “strength trainers” and “community liasons” who would find themselves out of work. Hunter and his attorney maintain that all hired were qualified. There are also a lot of small charges on everything from whether he bought former president/current nemesis Derek Fisher a watch. Hunter has called the report “just a lot of little things,” saying, “It’s almost like you put enough together, and you throw it up against the wall, hopefully something will stick. But when you look at them each individually, we can rebut them.”

Let’s be clear: What these attacks are really about is the belief that the NBPA gave up too much in the last round of collective bargaining. It’s the belief that under different leadership, the players would not have been dunked on so hard by Stern and would not have had to transfer $3 billion in salary wealth from players to owners over the next decade. The problem, however, is that you don’t hear David Falk, Arn Tellem or Kobe Bryant coming up with any kind of alternative strategy to how this could have been avoided. The players didn’t strike. They were locked out. It was one of four lockouts that have taken place in professional sports since the 2008 economic meltdown curbed the amount of public subsidies team owners had become accustomed to. These lockouts were all organized by the same law firm, Proskaur, Rose, who used to count David Stern and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as partners. In the face of such an onslaught, a much broader social movement strategy that included other unions as well as the low wage stadium workers also “locked out” was a necessity. But you aren’t hearing that from Hunter’s critics. Instead we have a set of charges that in the world of sports—not to mention union politics—are a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. If the union is going to not only survive, but thrive, the discussion, whether Hunter is in charge or not, needs to be about how to fight back more effectively. Changing the name on the executive director’s door alone won’t make that happen.

Billy Hunter, the disgraced and now former head of the NBA Players Association, met his inevitable demise this weekend (though he continues to put up a fight.) Players voted unanimously to give him the boot, and LeBron James stepped up at the moment of truth. Per the NY Times: “On Saturday afternoon, LeBron James was due at a local Boys and Girls Club, to help refurbish a gymnasium, which for James is an annual All-Star weekend tradition. The boys and girls expected James at 2:30 p.m. He arrived at 3:15. This was one case where a star athlete’s tardiness was a mark of virtue, not casual disregard. James, the N.B.A.’s reigning most valuable player, the engine of the Miami Heat’s 2012 championship, had been hunkered down in a hotel conference room, with about 40 of his fellow players, stars and nonstars alike, working diligently to repair their scandalized union. The players took a bold step Saturday, firing the union’s executive director, Billy Hunter, whose business practices are being investigated by three government agencies. The sentiment in the room was said to be unanimous, but it was driven by two forceful figures: Jerry Stackhouse, an 18-year veteran, and James, a three-time M.V.P. Amid an orgy of contrived competition, relentless marketing, tired events and semiscripted outcomes, James’s sudden civic turn was perhaps the most real moment of the weekend. ‘Well, it’s our future,’ James said Sunday after the West beat the East, 143-138, in the All-Star Game. ‘Our current state as of yesterday wasn’t in the best possible position we can be in. And that’s why Billy Hunter’s duties was relieved. And now we feel comfortable with where we’re at right now. But we got a long way to go.’ […] In the players union, as in the N.B.A., star power matters. Aura matters. Respect matters. So when James started asking pointed questions and making pointed statements, the room took notice. James ‘practically cross-examined’ the lawyers who prepared the audit, according to someone in the room. James and Stackhouse grilled Derek Fisher about signing Hunter’s most recent contract — the one that, according to the audit, was never properly approved. They demanded explanations from the committee members who previously sided with Hunter over Fisher. ‘It was spectacular,’ said the person who was in the room. And it was unusual.”

With a crucial vote on disgraced NBPA Director Billy Hunter’s fate set for All-Star Weekend, NBA players are becoming increasingly vocal about the sad state of affairs their union finds itself in. According to Jerry Stackhouse, they need to get rid not just of Hunter (who continues to fight tooth and nail for his job), but also union president Derek Fisher. Stack is calling for wholesale changes. Per the Detroit News: “I think we need wholesale changes all the way around,’ Stackhouse said. ‘I think everybody’s pointing the finger at Billy, and rightfully so. He’s made some wrong moves, but at the same time, we’ve sat and allowed those moves to be made.’ […] Stackhouse says Hunter isn’t the only one who needs to be shown the door. ‘Derek has stepped up and has really tried to grab the reins but I think he has to go too,’ he said. ‘If you’re not aware of everything that’s happened on your watch for so long, I think the whole system is flawed.’ Hunter recently spoke with the New York Times to defend his record of leadership, and Stackhouse said that was expected, while also pointing out the way the game has changed since 1995. ‘He’s talked so much about what he’s done,’ Stackhouse said. ‘We have shorter salaries, a hard cap. Make sure you take credit for that, too.’ With All-Star Weekend looming to shape up as Hunter’s last stand, since it appears his ouster will come sooner rather than later, Stackhouse is making a trip to Houston to let his voice be heard. ‘I plan on going to make my point. I won’t be surprised if Billy was there, with all he’s done he’ll try to show his face and act as if business as usual,’ Stackhouse said. ‘The same thing with Derek. They can’t operate as if business as usual. They’ve shown their flaws too much to still continue in their positions.’ […] ‘The important thing is, it’s nothing pressing as far as collective bargaining,’ said Stackhouse. ‘We should take this time and figure out the best direction for our union. I don’t think the way it is set up now is really what it should be. Everything (should change).'”

According to a Yahoo! report, National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter sidestepped the proper approval in order to receive his massive $15 million contract, which could be a violation of the NBPA’s constitution and may put his entire future with the union in doubt. Oops! Some details: “National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter and union general counsel Gary Hall failed to get proper player representative approval for a five-year, $15 million contract extension for Hunter in 2010, Yahoo! Sports has learned. The possible violation of the NBPA’s constitution raises questions about the legitimacy of Hunter’s contract and his future as executive director. In a copy of the NBPA constitution and by-laws, obtained by Yahoo! Sports, Article V, Section I states that ‘the appointment of an Executive Director, and the terms of his employment contract, must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the combined total of all Board of Player Representatives and Executive Committee members.’ Hunter signed the contract at an NBPA executive committee meeting on June 23, 2010, at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, but he and Hall, the late union general counsel, never brought the deal to a vote of the 30 team player representatives for approval, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports. Three player representatives at the team representative meeting on June 24 told Yahoo! Sports that the issue of Hunter’s contract was never brought for a vote – nor its existence ever broached.”

Well, this can’t be good … After all of the sordid details recently came out about the NBPA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has decided to open an investigation into the whole mess. Reports Bloomberg: “The National Basketball Players Association, already in turmoil after President Derek Fisher asked for independent reviews of its finances and business practices, is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, the union said in a statement. Union Executive Director Billy Hunter was notified of the investigation by subpoena for documents on April 25, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. The people were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the investigation. ‘The NBPA will cooperate fully with the government’s investigation,’ the union statement said. The union has appointed a six-member special committee that consists of players representatives and executive committee members to oversee an internal inquiry that will include a financial audit.”

With Derek Fisher currently under fire from his own people inside the NBA Players Association, Maurice Evans tells USA Today that Chris Paul would make for a nice replacement: “The National Basketball Players Association Executive Committee is trying to push out its president, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher, for reasons not fully explained, with Los Angeles Clippers guard and committee member Chris Paul emerging as a potential replacement. NBPA vice president and Washington Wizards guard-forward Maurice Evans said that Paul would have to be nominated and elected. Until that could happen, executive committee first vice president and Boston Celtics guard Keyon Dooling would be interim president. ‘We can’t, by bylaws, say who is going to be the president; that would have to go to a vote,’ Evans said. ‘Chris Paul’s name may circulate as one of the players who could fulfill that role, given that he’s a younger player (at 26), on the executive committee and played a huge role during the lockout. He has the respect of a lot of players.’ But Fisher, 37, would have to resign, and as recently as Friday, he said that won’t happen. The NBPA executive committee Wednesday voted 8-0 ‘that it lost confidence in Derek Fisher’s ability to act as union president and requested Derek’s resignation,’ according to a statement the NBPA released late Friday. Fisher followed with a reply reiterating he will not resign. The fallout between Fisher and the NBPA has been brewing since the lockout and erupted last week with Fisher’s demand for ‘an independent review of the business practices and finances.’ Shortly after that, the executive committee voted it no longer wanted Fisher’s leadership and called for his resignation. ‘This is not proper protocol to handle this right before the playoffs,” Evans said. ‘The timing of this is what we’re most disappointed with. We’ve tried to clarify, this is not about Derek vs. Mo Evans or Derek vs. the Board or Derek vs. (executive director) Billy Hunter. We’re very satisfied with Billy Hunter and … the role he has played. This is nothing personal against Derek. We’re not trying to disrespect him or embarrass him. We’re trying to let it die down. We’re trying to focus on the game.’ What caused the fallout between Fisher and the NBPA is not exactly clear. At one point during the lockout, Fisher was accused of trying to cut a deal with league negotiators on the side. However, Fisher and the NBA denied that. Evans said the decision to call for Fisher’s resignation is ‘a result of certain actions. We feel this is the best action going forward.’ But Evans declined to elaborate on those actions. It does not seem a simple resolution is likely. Fisher is not walking away, and Evans said the bylaws must be combed to figure out what happens if Fisher won’t resign. It doesn’t seem Fisher will go quietly. His strongly worded statement distributed Friday paints the picture of a determined man.”

Thursday night, as meetings between the NBA owners and players ended, word broke that nothing positive—at all—had resulted from the talks, and that the two sides were still as far apart as they ever had been in the past. Just as many fans did, players didn’t waste time before hitting Twitter with their thoughts, venting about trying (and failing) to make a deal and what the ramifications would be for all involved. Roll through the gallery above to see how your favorite NBAers responded to the awful news.